The present invention pertains generally to an apparatus and method for variably discharging ingredients on an animal. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a substantially fully automated apparatus for controlling insects on an animal for effective insect management. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for variably discharging chemicals and oils on cows in a dairy herd.
Control and management of insects has proven challenging, costly, illusive, and frequently ineffective. The terms xe2x80x9cinsectxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cinsectsxe2x80x9d as used in this document include (i) not only the conventional class of arthropods and related classes and orders known as muscoid and nonmuscoid flies, but also (ii) arachnids, a class of mainly terrestrial arthropods comprising spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks, and the like, (iii) ectoparasites, parasites living on the surface of an animal, and (iv) endoparasites, parasites living within an animal. Muscoid and nonmuscoid flies, for example, in a wide variety of species, cluster synanthropically to humans and their domestic animals, or in close proximity to humans and domesticated animals such as cows. Insects may have dramatic impact on the economics of animal production, which is a commercial industry constituting a significant contribution to the gross national product of the United States, where the dairy cattle industry has been estimated to produce $12 billion annually. The several different species and class of flies, for example, commonly found on livestock premises may cause a number of problems, including irritating cows so severely that milk production suffers; transmitting disease pathogens; increasing enteric (intestinal) diseases among humans associated with cow herds; violating regulatory rules and regulations, and generating a host of similar problems.
A variety of devices, apparatus and methods have been proposed for controlling insects among cattle, including dairy cows. Except for the invention disclosed in the [co-pending and allowed application of the inventor of the present invention, a document incorporated by reference into this document (xe2x80x9cPrior Inventionxe2x80x9d)], none has proven effective in achieving the level of control demanded by industry operators, or providing substantially complete control of a fly population using a substantially automated insect control apparatus requiring minimal operator involvement during operation of the apparatus. In addition, none of the solutions available provides an apparatus or method for varying the rate and amount of discharge of ingredients used to combat insects, particularly the rate and amount of chemical discharge, to reduce costs while maintaining insect control on and around animals.
One known proposal for controlling flies attracted to cattle, for example, is to bury parasites in soil beneath the surface of the soil on which cattle are penned. Other insects, including nematodes, have been introduced into herd locations in hopes of fly control. Fly traps using bait attractants have been used. Those techniques has proven ineffective in controlling fly populations attracted to cattle pens. Parasites achieve control of only a small portion of a fly population, and then only temporarily. Parasites reproduce more slowly than the rate at which flies reproduce, and their hatch rates are unreliable and unpredictable. An effective parasite population also my be reduced because parasites die or fly way. Use of parasites as a method for attempting to control flies among cattle is labor intensive, therefore expensive, usually making the solution unacceptable to an operator of a cattle business. Virtually no control is achieved using nematodes. Nematodes are not suitable for use in acidic soils. Because of the large amounts of manure and urine produced by multiples pens of cattle, all soil used for cattle becomes acidic. In addition, use of nematodes is impractical because nematodes must be applied or introduced into a herd at night, only after rainfall, and reintroduced frequently to achieve any measure of success in controlling insects on an animal and animal herd.
No marked reduction of a insect population occurs with use of fly traps. Fly traps, for example, rely on bait. No bait, however, has proven effective for flies, particularly on large tracts of land used to pen large cattle herds.
Spraying or fogging chemicals on cattle has proven marginal in achieving control of flies for long periods of time. Fogging causes droplet drift, so fogging is not cost effective. For similar reasons, aerial spraying has proven no more effective than use of fly parasites, nematodes, and fly traps using bait attractants.
Other proposals for controlling insects among cattle include feeding cows oral larvicide and applying residual insecticides on the underside of shaders. No significant long-term reduction in the fly population has been observed using an oral larvicide, primarily because no chemical that might work effectively against flies may be fed orally to milking cattle. Even more primitive devices have been used, such as back rubbers, both manuals and automated. A manual back rubber applicator requires an operator to periodically remove, dip into a chemical, and reinstall a rubber device above the back of a cow that walks beneath the rubber device. No noticeable difference, however, in fly population has been observed using this method, and automated variations have proven no more effective. Ear tags, or other apparatus attachable to parts of an animal""s body, containing a liquid chemical or insecticide dispensable on an animal, also have not satisfied the industry requirements for an apparatus that provides substantially complete control of the fly population in the form of a substantially automated system requiring relatively little attention during operation. Ear tags or similar apparatus connectable to parts of an animal body cannot be designed to release or apply sufficient chemicals either to an animal or to flies.
Attempting to control insects by spraying underneath shaders, direct spraying of roosting flies, and spraying vegetation near cattle pens, also are ineffective. Those techniques may eliminate problems associated with food and water contamination, but are labor intensive and expensive. An average dairy herd, for example, requires six to seven hours to complete one such spraying cycle, a cycle that must be repeated often to achieve even minimal control. A problem encountered by these methods is the tendency of flies to change roosting areas regularly, requiring an operator to hunt fly roosting areas to effectively induce a spray.
Larvicide spraying has not proven feasible because of the huge volume of water required to penetrate at least three inches below the surface of soil where fly larvae feed. The typical service truck carries only 500 gallons of water, and for a cattle herd held in a common arrangement of twelve pens, the cost of frequent larvicide applications is prohibitive.
An oil based chemical mixture, although expensive, has proven to be the only effective combination of ingredients to control insects among cattle, particularly in a dairy environment. A useful apparatus and method for cost-effective discharge of such ingredients is shown in the Greeson Patent. The Prior Invention provides for water encapsulation to encapsulate water with one or more ingredients to be applied to an animal, including one or more chemicals. It would be useful, however, to provide an apparatus and method that did not use water encapsulation, thus reducing costs and structural challenges of having to provide water to the apparatus. It also would be useful to provide an apparatus capable of further reducing the cost of insect control on animals by reducing the discharge of the chemical component of ingredients applied to an animal, the chemical component being the most expensive ingredient.
A problem to be solved, therefore, is to substantially reduce insect infestation in and around animal herds, including herds of dairy cattle. A related problem is to eliminate the requirement for using water in connection with an apparatus and method for controlling insects on an animal. An additional problem to be solved is to provide an apparatus and method for variably discharging ingredients, including chemicals and oils, in programmable differing rates and amounts, either continuously, or in one or more interrupted sequences.
Given the conventional solutions for solving the problem of discharging one or more ingredients on an animal, particularly for controlling insects on and around animals, it would be desirable, and of considerable advantage, to provide an apparatus for variably discharging one or more ingredients on an animal.
The present invention provides numerous advantages over present technology. At least one advantage of the present invention is the capability for variably discharging ingredients on an animal. The term xe2x80x9cvariably discharging,xe2x80x9d and equivalent forms used in this document, include delivery and discharge of ingredients through a controller in differing rates and amounts, either continuously, or in one or more interrupted sequences. This feature of the present invention significantly reduces waste of expensive chemicals, and consequently the cost of insect control, while achieving substantially full control of insects. Environmental hazards are substantially reduced. The apparatus of the present invention is so efficient that little chemical is wasted, thus affording the user a significant chemical cost reduction.
Still another advantage is elimination of costs and structural complexity associated with providing water for encapsulation of the ingredients. Water encapsulation is highly effective, but adds to the overall costs of the apparatus and operation of the apparatus.
A substantially fully automated apparatus is provided, an important advantage in an industry such as the dairy cattle industry, allowing frequent, regular, repetitive, effective and thorough application of the best and most appropriate combination of ingredients, including chemical mixtures, while substantially eliminating user involvement during operation of the apparatus. Automation is enhanced using a timer assembly for scheduling dates and times of discharge on a daily, weekly, and even monthly basis.
Another advantage of the present invention is the use of a variety of sensors, including, but not limited to, diffused deflective infrared sensors, which also may be used with a plurality of pulse/speed indicators, to cooperate in discharging ingredients based on the rate of movement of the animal, thus also reducing waste of chemicals and cost to a user.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is an automated insect control apparatus, and a method for operating an automated insect control apparatus, that respectively are easy to use and to practice, and which are cost effective for their intended purposes.
These and other advantages are achieved in the present invention by providing an apparatus and method for variably discharging one or more ingredients on an animal. The ingredients include at least one or more chemicals, and one or more oils, but do not include water. The ingredients may also include an oil. The ingredients are dischargeable through one or more nozzle. Nozzle flow is regulated through use of a valve. As indicated, the animal is detected by any of a variety of sensors, including ultrasonic sensors, and alternatively including diffused deflective infrared sensors, and sensors that make a single sensing probe.
The present invention also includes a variety of structural members for selectively positioning the apparatus in relation to the animal. One such member includes a multi-positionable frame. Another such member includes a number of dividing bars that can be arranged to separate one animal from another, and on which nozzles may be located for discharge of ingredients at varying angles of incidence against the animal. Another such element is a swivel nozzle
A programmable controller is provided for varying the discharge of ingredients on the animal. The controller includes at least one relay and a programmable interval relay repeat cycle timer for enabling variable discharge of the ingredients.
The apparatus for variably discharging ingredients on an animal also includes a timer assembly. The timer assembly is operatively engageable with a nozzle, or a number of nozzles. The timer assembly is useful for scheduling discharge of the ingredients on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. A user may enter scheduling information in the timer assembly and, so long as the user replenishes the ingredients, the apparatus will discharge the ingredients at the time, and on the day, the user selects. The timer assembly is energized by direct current. In addition, the timer assembly includes a clock element for uninterruptedly dispensing ingredients on programmed days and times selected by the user of the apparatus.
Alternatively, the apparatus may also include a system connected to the apparatus for discharging the one or more ingredients according to the rate of movement of the animal. The system includes a plurality of pulse/speed indicators. It is clear, therefore, from the foregoing that the claimed subject matter as a whole, including the structure of the apparatus, and the cooperation of the elements of the apparatus, as well as the method for applying the ingredients on an animal, combine to result in a number of unexpected advantages and utilities of the present invention. The advantages and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying following description, drawing figures, and appended claims.
The foregoing has outlined broadly the more important features of the invention to better understand the detailed description which follows, and to better understand the contribution of the present invention to the art. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited in application neither to the details of construction, nor to the arrangements of the components provided in the following description and drawing figures. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed in this disclosure are for purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the conception on which this disclosure is based readily may be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. The claims, therefore, include such equivalent constructions to the extent the equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the abstract associated with this disclosure is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.